One Feared Dead, Several Injured as Gunmen Invade Bayelsa Community

Julius Osahon in Yenagoa

For the fourth time this year, the residents of Opu Nembe (Basambri), in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa state were again thrown into a state of horror, fear and panic as heavily armed men invaded the community in multiple vehicles, shooting sporadically. 

Reports confirmed that the area was thrown into chaos at about 7pm when the gun men drove into town in as many as 24 Toyota Hilux vehicles and six Coaster buses, wearing face masks and dressed in the uniform of the Nigeria Police Force.

The armed invasion led to  one death and many injured while leaving the community folks in palpable fear and tension, not knowing when the next attack will come.

This is latest in a series of calculated armed invasions of the Opu Nembe area of the Nembe local government, since January 2023. 

The motive behind the attacks is not clear, but available information from the residents identified some of the perpetrators as gunmen in the payroll of a notorious warlord.

He was accused of being  responsible for organising  previous armed attacks, and has been at large following a ban placed on him in  the community.

He is also said to a known associate of a prominent politician in the state and a former minister of state, whose governorship ambition in the November election hints at politics as being the motive behind these incessant attacks of the Opu Nembe area.

Meanwhile, the state government has called for calm as government will continue to work with the police and its sister agencies to ensure that the perpetrators of this dastardly act are brought to book.

A statement by the Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy, Hon. Ayibaina Duba, said there is the suspicion that the attack on the community might not be unconnected with the upcoming November, 11 gubernatorial elections in the state and the crude desire of some unpopular politicians to impose their will on the voters of the area.

“The state government wishes to enjoin the people of Bassambiri in Nembe Local Government Area and indeed all residents of the state to remain calm as government will continue to work with the police and its sister agencies to ensure that the perpetrators of this dastardly act are brought to book.

“The Bayelsa State Government calls on the Inspector General of Police to cause an immediate investigation aimed at unraveling the identity of these criminals, and their sponsors, who have continued to undermine public peace in Nembe.

It is time to stop handling the tormentors of the Nembe people with a kid glove. The police high command must be on top of the situation without further delay,” the statement read.

Commiserating with the affected people of the community, the member representing the Brass-Nembe Federal Constituency, Hon.Marie  Ebikake, called on the military to immediately establish a heavy presence in the area to calm frayed nerves and dispel the air of fear and uncertainty among the people.

She called on the Inspector General of Police through the Commissioner of Police in the state, to identify those rogue police officers involved and prosecute them to act as deterrence.

She also appealed to the Directorate of State Service (DSS) to launch a detailed investigation of these incessant armed invasions and identify the sponsors.

She said the unwarranted mayhem must be checkmated as it is capable of total breakdown of law and order in the community.

She further appealed for the immediate intervention of the state government to bring succor to the Opu Nembe people by providing relief materials and other forms of assistance to victims of this dastardly attack.

Ebikake also called on the Nigerian Police and other security agencies to spring into action to arrest the situation in Opu Nembe and stop the madness and mayhem vented by the gun men to quickly restore calm and peace to the area.

According to Hon. Ebikake,” Early morning situation reports today suggest that the area now bears a semblance of a ghost town with next to no profitable activities as many people are locked in or have hurried out of town out of panic and fear of what might come next.”